Sponsors

Major Sponsors

MCEER, Earthquake Engineering to Extreme Events

MCEER is a national center of excellence dedicated to establishing disaster-resilient communities through the application of multidisciplinary, multi-hazard research through its consortium of researchers from numerous disciplines and institutions throughout the United States. Headquartered at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, the Center was originally established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1986, as the National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (NCEER). The overall goal of MCEER is to enhance the seismic resilience of communities through improved engineering and management tools for critical infrastructure systems (water supply, electric power, and hospitals) and emergency management functions. Seismic resilience (technical, organizational, social, and economic) is characterized by reduced probability of system failure, reduced consequences due to failure, and reduced time to system restoration.

The Center’s mission has expanded from its original focus on earthquake engineering to address a variety of other hazards, both natural and man-made, and their impact on critical infrastructure and facilities. The Center’s goal is to reduce losses through research and the application of advanced technologies that improve engineering, pre-event planning and post-event recovery strategies. Toward this end, the Center coordinates a nationwide program of multidisciplinary team research, education and outreach activities.

Funded principally by NSF, the State of New York, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Center derives additional support from the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other state governments, academic institutions, foreign governments and private industry.

New York State Office of Homeland Security

The New York State Office of Homeland Security directs and coordinates a comprehensive counter-terrorism and “all-hazards” prevention, preparedness, and response strategy to protect the people of New York State.

New York's Office of Homeland Security is responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive State strategy to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism.

No state has done more than New York to protect its citizens. The Office of Homeland Security continues to coordinate New York State’s counter-terrorism efforts by working with first responders, State, local and city officials, and the federal Department of Homeland Security who have done such a magnificent job in providing security and emergency response to the citizens of the State of New York. Working together, we will continue to maintain the highest level of vigilance and preparedness against the evils of terrorism.